Donald J Roth

Donald J Roth, 87, went to his heavenly home on the morning of Sunday, August 2, 2015 at ProMedica St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee Ohio following a recent emergency surgery.

Don was born in Milton Center, Ohio on January 30, 1928. He grew up in Brailey, Ohio where he was kept busy helping his parents run the Geahlan and Roth General Store. He graduated from Swanton High School in 1945 and also from Coyne Electrical School. He served in the United States Army as a sergeant first class at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey for 3 years. Don married his sweetheart, Bonnie Barnes on December 17, 1949. He accepted Jesus as his personal Savior during a revival at Brailey Union Church in the early 1950s.

Don ran the Brailey Mill and Feed Store until it was lost in a devastating fire. He then took a job with Toledo Edison, stating, “I will only work there long enough to rebuild my mill”, but his plans changed and he worked at Edison for 32 years, retiring in 1982. Don was also a hobby farmer and tried his hand at hogs, chickens, dairy cows, and various grain crops. He instilled a good work ethic in his children through hands on work around the farm.

He loved to spend time with his family. In 1953 they started an annual fishing trip tradition to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This tradition has created incredible memories not only for the family, but also for a lot of friends that have joined with them over the years. This year, just 10 days before his passing, Don broke the Roth family “Biggest Fish Record” when he pulled in a 41 inch, 17 pound Northern Pike. It was the highlight of the week for everyone.

Throughout the years, Don invested time, money and energy in a variety of projects. He served as Swan Creek Township Clerk in the 1960s. He was also the “Captain” on two different river boats, the Shawnee Princess out of Grand Rapids, Ohio and the Sand Piper on the Maumee River in Toledo. With the help of a friend, he built a small steam engine and enjoyed time with it at the Threshers Convention in Wauseon, Ohio and the Brailey Depot days. Throughout his life, Don was a member of Brailey Union Church where he served in various church positions. Don and Bonnie volunteered for years at Camp Selah in Reading, Michigan and also went on a variety of mission trips to Mexico and the Appalachia Project in Kentucky. In his later years, he enjoyed keeping his hands busy with various crafts projects. Don was a continual learner, owning his own smart phone and even purchasing a laptop computer at 87, which he used to type his final joke book. Don loved to make people laugh. Just like his father, he enjoyed collecting and telling jokes and stories.

Surviving are his loving wife of 65 ½ years, Bonnie; sons John (Kim) Roth, Tom (Pam) Roth, and Ron (Barb) Roth; daughters Connie (Jeff) Kovatch, Sharon (John) Niedzwiecki, and Karen (Dan) Montgomery; 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren; sister Dorothy (Russ) Vose; sister-in-law, Carol Roth; and brother-in-law, Robert Dernlan.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Otto and Erma Roth; his sister Norma Dernlan; and his brothers, Robert and Kenneth Roth.

Visitation will be held Friday, August 7th from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Weigel Funeral Home in Swanton, where funeral services will begin at 4:00 p.m. Private graveside services will be held at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Brailey Union Church, 5571 County Road 3, Swanton, Ohio.

Residence: Swanton, Ohio

Visitation: Friday, August 7th from 2 to 4 pm at the Weigel Funeral Home in Swanton

Funeral Services: Friday, August 7th at 4:00 pm in the Funeral Home

Private Interment: Mt. Pleasant Cemetery